Former Iraqi Lawmaker and Iran Critic Ahmed al-Alwani Found Dead in Beirut

Former Iraqi parliament member Ahmed al-Alwani was reportedly murdered in Beirut, according to Arab media reports published overnight Tuesday. Lebanese authorities have launched an investigation into his death, although the circumstances remain unclear. A Lebanese judicial official said the cause and circumstances of al-Alwani's death had not yet been established, while a security source reported that the former lawmaker was found dead in an apartment in Beirut's Afif al-Tibi neighborhood, with signs of violence on his body.

According to local reports, Lebanese security forces have arrested a suspect in connection with the suspected murder. The apartment where al-Alwani's body was discovered was reportedly rented by two Syrian nationals and a Lebanese citizen.

A Prominent Opponent of Iranian Influence in Iraq

Al-Alwani, 57, was a former Sunni Muslim member of Iraq's parliament and was associated with a political bloc that opposed Iranian influence and the dominance of Shiite political parties in Iraq.

According to Israel Hayom, al-Alwani was sentenced to death in Iraq in 2014 following a security raid on his home the previous year that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers. His brother was also killed during the incident. At the time, there was speculation that the attempt to arrest him was politically motivated and connected to his opposition to Iranian influence in Iraq.

Despite the death sentence, al-Alwani was released in 2015 under Iraq's general amnesty law after paying compensation to the families of the two soldiers. He subsequently relocated to Lebanon, where he had been living before his reported death.

Lebanese authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death, including the possible involvement of the suspect taken into custody.